Deadly Storm Causes Power Outages in NSW

A deadly storm swept through southeastern Australia on Wednesday, resulting in one fatality and extensive power outages affecting thousands. The storm, characterized by intense rain, high winds, and lightning, caused a tree to fall on a vehicle in Cowra, leading to the death of an elderly man. Emergency services reported over 2,250 calls related to storm damage and are currently addressing around 1,100 open jobs. Despite the forecast for less severe weather on Thursday, additional storms are expected, with flood watches issued for several river catchments. Lightning activity was notably high, with nearly two million strikes detected across eastern states, further complicating recovery efforts. As of Thursday, utility crews worked to restore power to approximately 95,000 customers who experienced outages during the worst of the storm.